Update - Secret Gun Confiscation Hearing Bill Signed in Oregon

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has signed SB 719A, the “Extreme Risk Protection Order” bill, into law, putting law-abiding gun owners in Oregon at risk of losing their firearms in a secret court hearing.

This new law allows family members, roommates, or law enforcement officers to petition a court for an ERPO. After an ex parte hearing, if the judge determines that the person poses an imminent risk to themselves or others, they will be ordered to surrender their firearms.

At the hearing one of the risk factors judges must consider is whether the person has purchased a firearm in the last six months.

These ERPO orders will lead to the confiscation of firearms and other property from unaware Oregonians who are not allowed to confront their accusers nor avail themselves of the protected right of due process.

Yet Gov. Brown gleefully signed the measure, saying (with a straight face) that it’s the “best way to ensure that a person who is at risk of harming themselves or others is identified, while still ensuring their rights are protected by a court review.”